Folding window-blind.



G. W. WEARN.

FOLDING WINDUW BLIND.

APPLxoATIoN FILED MAY 19. 1910.

Patented Mar. l5, 1912.

Br www@ ATTORNEYS sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

CAROLINA, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-FOURTH WEST POMPANO, FLORIDA.

FOLDING WINDOW-BLIND.

Specification of Letters intent.

ratentea Mar. 5,1912.

Application filed May. 19, 1910. Serial No. 562,122.

To all whom 'it may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. WEARN, a citizen Iof the United States, and a resident of Charlotte, in the county of Mecklenburg and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in .Folding lVindow-Blinds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding window blinds, and it consists inthe combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide 4a i device which may be attached to any window without making any change from the construction of`the standard Window frame.

A further object of my invention is to providea device which may be applied tothe inside of a window and which, when folded, is in a position out of sight behind the window curtain, when the latter is at its accustomed height.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device which, when attached to the window frame does not project beyond the face thereof to interfere in any way with the dressings of the window, the curtains, or shades.

A further object of my invention is to provide a blind which is both a sliding and a folding blind, and which is provided with means for holding it in any desired position and with guiding means for preventln one end of the blind from coming downaster than the other, thus avoiding the danger of the blind becoming caught.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the device will' be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure l is a front View of the blind in its closed position, Fig. 2 is a section along the line 2-2 looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a front view of a portion of the blind showing it in its opened position, Fig. 4 is a section along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a detailed section along the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the guide and locking mechanism, Fig. 7 is a Fig. 8 is a section ong the line 8 8 of Fig.

v6 looking in the direction of the arrow.

invention, I provide In carrying out my the upper part of the the brackets 1 and 2 at and 10 and 10 posite e lan view of Fig. 6, and .ti

' window, and the brackets 3 and 4.at the lower .para These brackets are att-ached directly to t-he window casing. `Between the vbrackets 1 and?) on one side of the Window is a rod 5. A similar rod 6 is carried between the brackets 2 and 4 onl the other side of the window.

Secured tothe top member 7 of the win-A dow casing are the hangers 8 and 8 to which are attachedthe opposlte members 9 and 9 and 10-and10of the ribbon ladders. The parts which correspond tothe rungs of the ladder are shown in Figs. 2 and 5 at 9". A series of slats 1l is rovided, which pass between the fronts and rear members 9 and 9 of the ribbon ladder and rest upon the flexible cross pieces 9x and 10X, which' correspond to the rungs. The slats have slots 12 and -12 through which cords 13 and 13 extend. These cords are fastened at their tops to the brackets 8 and 8 respectively, and at the bottom to the lower member 14 of the window casing.

The locking and guide members are best shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. A description of one of these members Will'suflice for both since they are precisely the same. Referring now to Fig. 6, it will be seen that the rod 5 has upon it a slidable member 15, which is secured to a bottom the lower part of the blind. Pivotally secured to the guide member l5 at 17 is a lever 18l whose end passes through an opening in the guide member l5 and engages the rod 5 at the point 19. This lever is held against the rod 5 by means of a spring 20. Its opynd is. formed into a linger piece 21 which is situated immediately below a thumb piece 22 secured to the member 16. The end 19 may be provided with teeth so as to grip the rod 5 as shown in Fig. 7.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the' device the operation thereof may be readily understood. In Fig. 1, I have shown the blind in its closed position. To raise the blind it is only necessary to grasp the members 2l and 22 on each side and pull upwardly. This will withdraw the lockingmembers 18 when the blind may be raised. The raising of the blind will cause the slats to take the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.' In these figures the slats are in a horizontal position. If, however, it is desired to have the blind raised to an intermediate position the locking members will grip the rod 5 so as to hold the blind in any position. It will be apparent that as the blind is raised the lower members will successively assume horizontal positions, the tapes yielding on either side as the blind is raised.

Ordinarily only the lower half of the blind is used since the shade covers the upper half. If, however, it is desired to use the blind without a shade,-it may be done.

The-two guide rods 5 and 6 serve to maintain the slats in a horizontal position 'at all times, and consequently there is no binding of the ends.

I claim:

1. The combination with a window having brackets, of a folding window blind comprising a series of slats provided with registering slots, guide cords arranged to pass through said slots," the upper end of said guide cords being fastened to said brackets, and the lower ends of the guide cords being :fastenedV to the lower Window sill, flexible members loosely supporting said slats at the edges of the latter, guide rods at the endsv of said slats, guide members secured to the bottom slat, and spring-actuated looking.

members carried by said bottom slatl and arranged to project through said guide members to engage said guide rods.

2. The combination with a window havingl brackets, of a folding Vwindow blind comprising aseries. of slats provided with registerin'g slots, guide cords arranged to pass through s'aid slots, the upper end of said A guide cords being fastened to said brackets and the lower ends of said guide cords being fastened to the lower window sill, flexible members loosely support-ing said slats at-the edges of the latter, said flexible members comprising a ladder-like structure of yielding material, guide rods at the ends of said slats, guide members secured to the bottom Slat, a thumb member pivotally secured beneath said bottom slat and having an end arranged to project through said guide member to engage said guide rod, and a spring for pressing said thumb memberf away from said bottom slat and for holding the end of said thumb member in engagey ment with said rod.

GEORGE W. WEARN.

Witnesses:

K. R. Troma, A. K. MCLEOD. 

